Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Fixed Action Patterns01:06

Fixed Action Patterns

A fixed action pattern (FAP) is a specific, hard-wired sequence of behaviors that occurs in response to an external stimulus, called a sign stimulus. The behavior is “fixed” because it is essentially unchangeable—proceeding similarly across individuals of a species every time it occurs.
Predator-Prey Interactions02:39

Predator-Prey Interactions

Predators consume prey for energy. Predators that acquire prey and prey that avoid predation both increase their chances of survival and reproduction (i.e., fitness). Routine predator-prey interactions elicit mutual adaptations that improve predator offenses, such as claws, teeth, and speed, as well as prey defenses, including crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry. Thus, predator-prey interactions resemble an evolutionary arms race.Although predation is commonly associated with carnivory, for...
Gastrulation01:56

Gastrulation

Gastrulation establishes the three primary tissues of an embryo: the ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. This developmental process relies on a series of intricate cellular movements, which in humans transforms a flat, “bilaminar disc” composed of two cell sheets into a three-tiered structure. In the resulting embryo, the endoderm serves as the bottom layer, and stacked directly above it is the intermediate mesoderm, and then the uppermost ectoderm. Respectively, these tissue strata will form...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Flash Drought and Heat Waves Influence Embryonic Development and Offspring Size in an Oviparous Ectotherm.

Ecological and evolutionary physiology·2025
Same author

Assessing the Impact of Environment on the Color of Painted Turtles (<i>Chrysemys picta</i>) in the Wild.

Ecology and evolution·2025
Same author

Developmental timing of flash drought influences offspring survival in the field.

Oecologia·2025
Same author

Behavioural vs. physiological adaptation: which contributes more to the evolution of complex traits in a warming climate?

Journal of evolutionary biology·2025
Same author

Adult Sex-Ratio Bias Does Not Lead to Detectable Adaptive Offspring Sex Allocation Via Nest-Site Choice in a Turtle With Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination.

Ecology and evolution·2024
Same author

Plasticity and the adaptive evolution of switchlike reaction norms under environmental change.

Evolution letters·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Application of Impermeable Barriers Combined with Candidate Factor Soaked Beads to Study Inductive Signals in the Chick
08:04

Application of Impermeable Barriers Combined with Candidate Factor Soaked Beads to Study Inductive Signals in the Chick

Published on: November 17, 2016

Plastral Patterns Serve an Anti-Predator Function in Freshwater Turtle Hatchlings.

Morgan A Clark1, Claudia Crowther1,2, Beth A Reinke3

  • 1Kellogg Biological Station Michigan State University Hickory Corners Michigan USA.

Ecology and Evolution
|July 6, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Painted turtle hatchlings use shell patterns for anti-predator defense on land. Complex patterns on models reduced predation, suggesting camouflage benefits for vulnerable young turtles.

Keywords:
antipredator defensecolorationpainted turtlepatterningsignal

More Related Videos

Raising the Mexican Tetra Astyanax mexicanus for Analysis of Post-larval Phenotypes and Whole-mount Immunohistochemistry
06:42

Raising the Mexican Tetra Astyanax mexicanus for Analysis of Post-larval Phenotypes and Whole-mount Immunohistochemistry

Published on: December 28, 2018

Analysis of Cell Differentiation, Morphogenesis, and Patterning During Chicken Embryogenesis Using the Soaked-Bead Assay
06:49

Analysis of Cell Differentiation, Morphogenesis, and Patterning During Chicken Embryogenesis Using the Soaked-Bead Assay

Published on: January 12, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Application of Impermeable Barriers Combined with Candidate Factor Soaked Beads to Study Inductive Signals in the Chick
08:04

Application of Impermeable Barriers Combined with Candidate Factor Soaked Beads to Study Inductive Signals in the Chick

Published on: November 17, 2016

Raising the Mexican Tetra Astyanax mexicanus for Analysis of Post-larval Phenotypes and Whole-mount Immunohistochemistry
06:42

Raising the Mexican Tetra Astyanax mexicanus for Analysis of Post-larval Phenotypes and Whole-mount Immunohistochemistry

Published on: December 28, 2018

Analysis of Cell Differentiation, Morphogenesis, and Patterning During Chicken Embryogenesis Using the Soaked-Bead Assay
06:49

Analysis of Cell Differentiation, Morphogenesis, and Patterning During Chicken Embryogenesis Using the Soaked-Bead Assay

Published on: January 12, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Herpetology

Background:

  • Color and pattern are crucial anti-predator mechanisms in diverse taxa.
  • The function of coloration can vary across different life stages due to shifting selection pressures.
  • Painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) exhibit striking coloration, but its anti-predator role in hatchlings is understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the anti-predator function of plastral (bottom shell) patterns in painted turtle hatchlings on land.
  • To determine if specific patterns offer protection against predation during the critical nest dispersal phase.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized resin models of painted turtle hatchlings with varying plastral patterns.
  • Simulated predation experiments were conducted in ecologically relevant terrestrial environments.
  • Compared predation rates between models with simple and complex plastral patterns.

Main Results:

  • Models with complex plastral patterns experienced significantly lower predation rates compared to those with simple patterns.
  • This finding provides the first evidence for an anti-predatory function of plastral patterns in painted turtle hatchlings.
  • Results suggest patterns may function via background matching or disruptive coloration.

Conclusions:

  • Plastral patterns play a significant role in hatchling painted turtle survival by deterring predators.
  • Understanding coloration's function across life stages is vital for ecological and evolutionary insights.
  • Further research is needed to explore the full significance of color and pattern variation in this species.